By Ismail Omipidan
When the Niger Delta Master Plan was launched by President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration in 2007, it was meant to fast- track the development of the region, with a view to encouraging regional integration.
Ten years after however, the dream appears far from being realised. But former Senate Leader and Chairman of the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN) , believes now is the time to either come up with a new Master Plan, or upgrade or review the old one launched by Obasanjo, if the agency must stop being seen as a competitor to states in the region, in terms provision of infrastructure via contract awards for communities which, he said, have little bearing to their needs, in some cases.
Speaking at a recent stakeholders’ retreat held in Rivers State, Ndoma-Egba told stakeholders that the current approach to the Commission’s budget, where states and host communities have no input into policies and programmes of the agency, would never bring development to the region. He added that such approach would perpetually put the NDDC in competition with states and local governments; a development, he averred, would be a “monumental distraction.”
Rather than continue with the avoidable “distraction,” Ndoma-Egba is advocating for the creation of a regional economy, with” identified drivers” who would be “youth friendly “ and added that “a motivated, educated and empowered youth remain the real resource of any nation, not oil or mineral resources.”
He further noted that an “ill-motivated, uneducated and underpowered youth, on the other hand,” would be a “curse and danger to the nation. We, therefore, have a sacred responsibility to make our youth a real resource and a blessing to our region and country.”
Drawing inspiration from the Act establishing the NDDC, especially section 7 (1) (b), which mandates the Commission, to ‘conceive, plan and implement, in accordance with set rules and regulations, projects and programmes for the sustainable development of the Niger Delta area in the field of transportation including roads, jetties, waterways, health, education, employment industrialization, agriculture and fisheries, housing and urban development, water supply, electricity and telecommunications,’ the new NDDC chairman, further said the “Act, therefore, envisages a diversified but integrated regional economy for the region.”
And, to him, endeavours like ICT, sports, the creative industry; agriculture and manufacturing, supported by inter-modal transportation, health, and education infrastructure, with adequate power supply, are largely youth-friendly, which would help take the youth off the streets, and engage them in productive ventures, which in the long run would make vandalization of oil installations less attractive to the youths in the region.
He said the infrastructure should be such that it would link the region and facilitate commerce within the Niger Delta, while involving all and every stakeholder in the activities of the Commission, so as to give them sense of belonging, as well as make them own the projects.
“We must encourage sustainable partnerships with all stakeholders and partners for the overall development, security and peace of the region. We will work to earn the confidence of stakeholders and partners. We do not demand or request their confidence; we will earn it through our honest work and single minded focus. To demonstrate our commitment, to achieve this, this board at its inaugural meeting created its committee on Partnerships for Sustainable Development. This is to underscore our determination to optimize these partnerships,” Ndoma-Egba, added.
He was also conscious of the fact that all the lofty objectives the Commission set out to achieve would not be possible in an atmosphere of violence.
To this end, he appealed to all militant groups in the region to stop violence and vandalisation of oil facilities in the area, saying the region could not be complaining of environmental pollution and at the same time being responsible for the spate of environmental degradation in the area, occasioned by vandalisation of oil installations.
Although he noted that militants have passed across their message, that the region needs development faster than it was coming, Ndoma-Egba believes strongly it was now time for militant groups to give peace a chance and allow the region to develop.
“We need security and peace in the region. I had, in my remarks, at our inaugural board meeting, posited that “we cannot complain about environmental pollution and degradation in the region and, at the same time, engage in activities like pipeline vandalisation and breaches that not only pollute and degrade the environment but, also, shield those who should bear responsibility for the sorry state of our environment from liability. All of us from the region must take responsibility for peace and security in our own interest and the interest of generations to come. All of us must be committed to the peace, security and prosperity of our region. It is our duty. ‘
“I will continue to appeal to all militant groups to stop the breaches and vandalisation of oil facilities. Their point has long been made. Now they are inflicting injuries and suffering on themselves and our already hapless and helpless people. They should give us a chance to develop. W e will continue to collaborate with the various security agencies to ensure peace in the region. We can only develop in a peaceful atmosphere and environment, “Ndoma-Egba declared.
In all of these, the new NDDC chairman believes time has come for governors of oil-producing states to see themselves as key in the Commission’s mandate. Ndoma-Egba’s firm promise is that the NDDC would carry them along in execution of projects in their states.